Meltdowns and mood swings

It has been a busy October, filled with many of the above -- mostly from my children, but a few from me too.

Peanut is stubborn and challenging, but usually we can predict the things she'll be stubborn about or challenge us on. A couple of weeks ago, though, Peanut incited a battle royale against me, the likes of which I've never seen from her. She wouldn't do what I said. Ever. She wouldn't stay in her bed or room at naptime or bedtime (this, from the kid who just hits the "easy" button when she wants to sleep). And she cried about practically everything.

I fought and muddled through all these battles -- sometimes even calling L during the day for moral support while I dealt with this Grumpus. Each time, I explained it away with, "Well, she went to bed a little late last night..." or some other reason.

Finally, one day, as I was hashing it out with her, I was thinking, "This is so far beyond normal for her. She's acting more like she doesn't feel good..." Wait! That had to be it. She didn't feel good. You know when you see your kid cross the line into an abyss of grumpy that rarely happens, and you suddenly have an impulse to feel his or her forehead? It was like that. Only her forehead was cool.

What could this invisible force be? She seems extra tired, her nose is a little runny. Aha, allergies. One Children's Claritin that night before bed, and what a difference a day (and a drug) makes! I am so glad to have my sweetly stubborn little Peanut back.

How 'bout them apples?

That's one of my favorite movie lines -- from "Good Will Hunting," in case you didn't know.

I really do want to talk about apples, which I think are one of the treasures of Michigan. They certainly have been a highlight for us each fall, and we have learned quite a bit about the types of apples available.

There is a cider mill about 20 minutes from our house that is one of our favorite getaways. It is quaint, the cider is amazing, and they have picnic tables next to the tree-lined river that make for a lovely scene. I haven't mentioned the cider donuts, which are not to be missed, and the caramel apples that are incomparable. (Prior to having these, I didn't even LIKE caramel apples, so that says something!)

The girls also love going to the cider mill. (Above, they're very seriously eating and drinking by the river) If you ask Jellybean what happens in the fall, before even mentioning leaves or trees, she will tell you that in the fall you go to the cider mill. That's just what you do. Today, as we were getting in the car to go to the cider mill for the second time this fall, Peanut was repeating, "Excited! Cider mill!" (sounded like "sided" "sigh miw")

We eat apples year-round in our house, and they happen to be one of the girls' favorite snacks. Jellybean loves to know what type of apple she's eating -- more on that in a second -- and she has preferred to eat a whole apple at a time since she was about 1 1/2 and could say "whole apple." Peanut also inhales all the peeled apple slices we give her and now that she has teeth, they're much easier for her to eat. I couldn't live without my apple cutter!

L and I go to the cider mill for cider and donuts. The girls, for some bizarre reason, don't love cider donuts. I gave Jellybean a choice today: donut or apple? She chose apple. We tried again to give Peanut some donut today, and she eschewed it in favor of bites of Jellybean's apple. They are gaga over the cider, though, and would drink the whole gallon if we let them. (I read recently that unpasteurized cider has tons of antioxidants, so that wouldn't be so bad)

As for apples, I have become very opinionated about the types I like. I also have learned that all my favorites are later-season apples, so now is the time for them. Yea! I have always liked the tart little Jonathans, but more recently I have discovered Macintoshes, Pink Ladies, Honey Crisps, and last year I think L's and my overall favorite was the Jonagold. They are all on the tart side and offer varying degrees of firmness, which I much prefer over mushy Red (not very) Delicious. We'll keep trying them this year, and I'll let you know if our favorites change.

With the later-season apples comes the best cider as well. Our cider mill always posts which apple types are in the cider each week. I always prefer the cider when it's mostly Jonathan with a little Macintosh and Honey Crisp in there. How's that for specific?

So now, I have to ask you: How 'bout them apples?

Here it comes

We were on vacation for the last week, savoring the beach in summertime. Alas, I know the summer days are numbered and winter death time is not too far away. I'm really trying not to think about it, but too many happenings are forcing me to.

My husband is lucky enough to be living his dream as a college professor. We enjoyed a ton of family time this summer between his working hard on his next publication, and he was around home most of the time. That ended yesterday when he had to go back for a very long day to be at orientation. We have definitely been spoiled for the past few months, but we all knew it had to end sometime.

At least I know this fall will be more fun than last fall when he was teaching night classes and I was at home all day and all evening by myself with a tiny baby and toddler. No night classes this year, for one, and the girls are older and consequently easier to handle as a "single parent." It's also actually fun now to spend time with the girls instead of struggling through every feeding and nap and so on. I'll leave that (self) analysis for another day.

My husband left in the morning yesterday before the girls got up, so they were both a bit confused about where he was for a good part of the day. In fact, little Peanut was absolutely convinced that my husband was behind the bathroom door. I closed the door so she wouldn't be tempted to play in the toilet -- which is a new favorite pastime -- and she kept walking up to the door and proclaiming, "Daddy!" Then she would knock and wait for a response. It was very funny, especially because I already tease L about how much time men spend in the bathroom -- now there's proof! It also was a bit sad because even when I convinced her that L wasn't in the bathroom and in fact wasn't anywhere to be found, she just started repeating, "I want Daddy." That was the first thing she said when she awoke from her afternoon nap.

I feel so overwhelmed by my to-do list now that we're back from this vacation. I now have to do all those nagging things I had blown off before we left town, plus I have a ton to get ready for the fall and the impending winter doom. Both girls are almost bursting out of their summer clothes, so I need to sort and wash fall clothes, get coats and winter gear organized, clean my house, oh and I definitely need to start catching up on all the shows stored in my DVR from last week!

I guess it's time to quit blogging and maybe get something accomplished during this naptime. I think the DVR is the way to go.